ROCHESTER, Minn. – The No. 33 Bethel University women's tennis team was dealt its first loss of the season dropping a tightly contested match to No. 25 Denison, 5-2.
 
The Royals trailed 1-0 after doubles play with only getting at win at No. 3 as Elisabeth Langhus and Emma Thole rolled to a 6-1 decision. Lauryn Douglas and Michaella Sullivan were within reach at No. 1 tying it up at 4-4 before dropping the final two games.
 
Bethel went down 3-1 in singles matches with Lauryn Douglas taking her No. 1 singles match 6-2, 7-6 (7-3). Two of the final three remaining matches went into a third set. The Big Red were able to win at No. 3 & No. 5 in the third set to secure the win. Claire Keller (No. 3) forced a third set after dropping the opening one 2-6, the loss snaps her four-match winning streak.
 
Michaella Sullivan remains undefeated battling it out in a match that saw the second and third sets won in tiebreakers. Sullivan took the opening set 7-5 before dropping the second. In the third, she only trailed when she went down 0-1 before winning in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-4).
 
THE SCORES
Singles competition
1. Lauryn Douglas (BU) def. Peyton Oda (DEN) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
2. Michaella Sullivan (BU) def. Charlotte Johns (DEN) 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4)
3. Caitlin VanWinkle (DEN) def. Claire Keller (BU) 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
4. Dasha Chistyakova (DEN) def. Julia Baber (BU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Caroline Kittle (DEN) def. Emma Thole (BU) 5-7, 6-1, 6-3
6. Caroline Lopez (DEN) def. Courtney Nuest (BU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Peyton Oda/Maia Nowicki (DEN) def. Lauryn Douglas/Michaella Sullivan (BU) 6-4
2. Charlotte Johns/Caroline Lopez (DEN) def. Julia Baber/Claire Keller (BU) 6-1
3. Elisabeth Langhus/Emma Thole (BU) def. Caroline Kittle/Dasha Chistyakova (DEN) 6-1
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,1,6,3,5,2)
 
UP NEXT
The Royals host Wisconsin-La Crosse on Sunday, March 2 at Rogers Tennis Club. First serve is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.


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